1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to patient care beds. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved patient care bed convertible between a bed and a chair position, and a waste disposal system incorporated therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of patient care, there have been various attempts to provide patient beds which provide increased comfort and convenience. To this end, such beds often permit the back and/or leg sections of the bed to be raised and lowered. Examples of such arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,216,026, 3,220,020, and 3,278,952. Additionally, there have been beds which allow such movement to continue to a sufficient extent that the bed takes the form of a chair. Examples of these arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,920,587, 5,189,745, and 5,350,369. In the latter two patents, the bed, in the chair position, may be used in a similar manner to a wheel chair.
A further effort to increase convenience and comfort has resulted in some beds providing waste disposal to accommodate the bodily functions of the user. The three patents noted immediately above provide examples of such systems. Further examples are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 801,117 and 1,589,889.
With these prior art systems, the beds have typically been complex apparatus. While the desired range of movement of the bed requires a certain amount of physical complexity, the operation of the beds (at least beyond the basic raising and lowering functions) has been rather complicated also. Additionally, where waste disposal has been provided, there has been little done in the way of cleansing the patient, or the arrangements for such cleansing have been rather complex. Even where a cleansing system has been provided, this complexity has not resulted in ease of use.
The need to treat such waste as a biohazard has also been a relatively recent development. At least one prior art system (the above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,369) does permit sealing of the waste collection unit. However, this collection unit is relatively complicated, and therefore expensive.
A further consideration is the odor produced by the bodily waste of the patient. One solution is to remove the waste immediately, yet this results in a large number of waste containers and a proportional waste of packaging material. The collection unit of the 5,350,369 patent permits multiple uses by solidifying the waste with a deodorizing gelling material. However, the construction of the collection unit of that patent often results in the fecal matter sliding upon the sides of the container. This may leave an odorous residue which is not gelled.